OTTAWA, Kan. (KCTV/WIBW) - Franklin County authorities are seeking a person of interest and a vehicle in connection with the discovery of three dead bodies.

Authorities were called just before 12:30 pm Monday to 3197 Georgia Road, which is just north of Hwy. 68 between Pomona and Ottawa.

In a 9 pm news conference Monday, Franklin County Sheriff Jeff Richards said a man contacted them saying he found one body. Authorities arrived to find a second. Tuesday morning, KCTV reports authorities say a third was found.

The names and genders of the victims are not being released. Sheriff Richards also would not say how the victims were killed.

Tuesday afternoon, police bulletins began broadcasting information on persons of interest in the case. Sources confirmed to KCTV5 they are 27-year-old Kyle Flack and 23-year-old Cyle Bailey. Later Tuesday, KCTV5 says the sheriff's office confirmed investigators had spoken with Bailey and he was no longer a person of interest.

The Sheriff's Office also is looking for a 2007 black Toyota Corolla with Kansas license plates 618 DAA. It has a front vanity plate and its passenger side mirror is held on by gray duct tape. Anyone who sees the vehicle or has any other information should call 888-311-TIPS, or send a text to 274637, begin with the keyword “franklin” or call the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office at 785 242 3800 or 785 242 2561 ex 417.

Flack was released last month after serving time for a 2005 attempted second degree murder conviction in Franklin County.

Franklin County has requested assistance from Johnson County's major case squad as their investigation continues. The squad convened Tuesday morning to begin their work. The Kansas Highway Patrol also is assisting.

KCTV5 reports 40 detectives are working the case. The crime scene covers a large area.

Friends and family members of a missing couple gathered in the area. They fear two of bodies are that of the man and woman who have been missing since last week.

Those who found the body tell KCTV5 that they are certain the first body was that of a missing mother from Olathe. They believe the second body is that of her boyfriend, who lived in the area and was reported missing last week.

Authorities have not provided any details about the whereabouts of the missing woman's 1-year-old daughter, who is also missing. Richards declined to say why authorities have not issued an Amber Alert.

A friend tells KCTV5 that he and his friend went to the home to check on the man's pets, smelled something foul and called authorities Sunday. When officers found nothing, the man and two friends returned Monday and began to search. That's when they made the gruesome discovery.

WARNING: Some may find the following disturbing.

"We thought it was sandbags at first," Shona Osladil said. "The body was wrapped in a blue tarp. There was a cinder block on top of her head."

Corey Schlotzhauer said a bag of baby clothing was lying near the woman's body. A child's sleeping bag, coat and a bottle and other baby stuff were found in a trash can outside the garage.

Friends and family say the missing woman was last seen with her child.

Police in Olathe say the woman's father reported her and her daughter missing Friday.

Authorities have not identified the bodies and will not speculate even to family members of the missing couple.

Osladil is among those critical of the authorities' handling of the case and failing to find the bodies when they first came to the property.

"They didn't find the body. We found the body within five minutes of being in the garage," Osladil said. "They didn't even walk in the garage long enough to look for a body, so we're a little irritated ..."

Kortni McGill said the garage stunk, but the deputies said the smell was garbage.

"No, that doesn't smell like trash, it smells like something died in there," McGill said.

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